Patrick Morrisey on Crime

More funding, more equipment, more hiring for state police

• @MorriseyWV on Feb 15: WV badly erred when it failed to fund state police trooper classes. While that is now being remedied in the short term (thank you) the broader crisis regarding lack of enforcement personnel needs to be addressed. I call on the Speaker to focus on this and help save lives.
• @MorriseyWV on Feb 15: WV isn't doing enough to stop drug abuse. It's time @wvlegislature agrees to an enforcement surge and equips State Police, prosecutors, and AG with more investigators, prosecutors, and troopers. No midnight highway patrols to go after drug dealers? It's literally criminal. #wvag
• @MorriseyWV on Feb 17: It may be a very busy week for the AG's office enforcing the laws of our state. I urge everyone to follow the law--no one is above the law. Do the right thing!

$1M more for state police drug testing in criminal cases

Morrisey said the transfer was made possible as the result of settlements with drug wholesalers accused of flooding the state with millions of prescription pain pills.

The State Police Forensic Laboratory examines drug seizures from every police department in West Virginia. The drug testing backlog intensifies regional jail crowding by affecting bail consideration for suspects. It also adds to county inmate costs. "We have to make sure that we end this terrible backlog," Morrisey said at a news conference.

Morrisey's office also gave the state police $1 million last year to hire additional analysts, offer overtime and purchase necessary equipment. Since 2013, Morrisey has returned more than $39 million to the state's general fund.

Tougher sentences for drug kingpins